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Show PAGE 18 THE ZEPHYROCTOBER 89 BuMding Bridges a history of crossing Courthouse Wash and the Colorado fyiver by Lloyd Pierson Travel through southeastern Utah has not always been easy. The canyons of the Colorado River and its tributaries pretty much dictated where the traveler should go. The crossing of the Colorado at Moab was a most important landmark and was the only "easy" crossing of the river north of the Mojave Indian villages near present day Needles California until one reaches the Grand Junction, Colorado area. "Easy is a gross overstatement really, for although it was easy to get to the crossing by trail, getting across was another matter. Many times during the summer flood period or after rain induced flooding or during the spring breakup of the river ice, it was most difficult to get across the river and many men and animals have lost their lives In the attempt The river is fast and treacherous and even today swimmers in the river occasionally drown. The first European to reach the Colorado River at Moab, and tell about it, was Juan Maria Antonio Rivera, who was sent out from Abiquiu, New Mexico, a frontier town, by Governor Cachupin of Spanish New Mexico to search for minerals and other riches In the northern frontier. About the 16th of October in 1765, Rivera reached the Colorado River at what is now Moab, carving a cross with the inscription "Viva Jesus" and his name and the date at the foot on "the shoot of a white poplar.? Undoubtedly the white poplar is a cottonwood which grows In the valley. Rivera was most likely guided to the spot by some of his Indian friends, for there are many indications that this was a main travel route for Indian parties over the centuries. y. . . Rivera did not cross the river but his explorations and those of other Spaniards and later Mexicans, New Mexicans and Americans who cams over this main route path that with its various branches came to be known as developed a well-beat- en the Spanish Trail or In later days the Old Spanish Trail The branch through Moab Valley was the southern or winter trail. The northern branch went from Taos, New Mexico over Cochetopa Pass In the Colorado Rockies and came down through the Grand Junction region meeting the southern branch near Floy Junction east of Green River, Utah. The northern route was closed most of the year by heavy snows in the mountains and used mostly in late summer and early fall The Spanish Trail led, when it was finally completely traversed by William from Abiquiu, New Mexico to San Bernardino, California. Wolfskin in 1830-183- 1, The crossing of the Colorado at Moab is described by Orville C. Pratt of Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1848 as being via an Island some 600 yards upstream from the Portal the place where the river once again enters Into the canyon. The Spanish Trail continued in heavy use through the 1830s and 40s as annual fall trading expeditions of up to 300 men with pack animals took New Mexico cotton and woolen woven goods to California to trade; bringing back herds of up to AfiOO mules and horses. Undoubtedly the horses and mules were forced to swim the river ford but cottonwood log rafts were the fovorite means of .crossing as several chronicles tell of rafts left on the banks of the crossing and used by both Europeans and Indians. -- ,Ja ' ; I Dedication of steel bridge over Courthouse Wash, March, 1915. (Ruth Parriott collection photo, Dan O'Laurie Museum) v f... ; discount for extended stays and groups Bed & Breakfast A unique bed and breakfast Inn nestled among the red rock country. . 3j5 minutes from downtown Moab, offering you a rare taste of life as it used to be relaxes, comfortable, and affordable. John Wayne Country On Castle Creek - CVSR Box 2105 Moab, Utah 84532 801-259-60- 12 v. |